Paint apparatus and filter module

Abstract

The paint apparatus includes a paint booth having an upper chamber in which a painting operation is performed and a lower chamber placed below the upper chamber; a receiving portion 2 that receives air discharged from the paint booth; a filter module 3 attachable to and detachable from the receiving portion 2 and including filter portions 31 and 32 that trap paint mist from air that passed through the receiving portion 2 , a filter inlet portion 33 that receives an inflow of air from the receiving portion 2 , and a filter outlet portion 34 that discharges air from which the paint mist was trapped by the filter portions 31 and 32 ; and rails 6 that guide the filter module 3 to an attached position at which the filter module 3 is attached to the receiving portion 2.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A paint apparatus comprising:
 a paint booth comprising an upper chamber in which a painting operation is performable and a lower chamber placed below the upper chamber;   a receiving portion configured to receive air discharged from the paint booth;   a filter module attachable to and detachable from the receiving portion and comprising:
 a filter portion configured to trap paint mist from air that passed through the receiving portion, 
 a filter inlet portion configured to receive an inflow of air from the receiving portion, and 
 a filter outlet portion configured to discharge air from which the paint mist was trapped by the filter portion; and 
   at least one rail configured to guide the filter module to an attached position at which the filter module is attached to the receiving portion,   wherein the filter module further comprises:
 at least one floor travel wheel configured to travel on a floor surface lower than a surface on which the paint booth is disposed; and 
 at least one rail travel wheel configured to travel on the at least one rail. 
   
     
     
         2 . The paint apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, while the filter module is at the attached position, the at least one rail travel wheel is in contact with the at least one rail, and the at least one floor travel wheel is separated from the floor surface, and   wherein, while the filter module travels on the floor surface, the at least one floor travel wheel is in contact with the floor surface, and the at least one rail travel wheel is separated from the floor surface.   
     
     
         3 . The paint apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of the at least one rail comprises:
 a base-side portion in a vicinity of the receiving portion; and 
 a distal-side portion on a side of the base-side portion opposite to the receiving portion, and wherein a height of the distal-side portion is lower than a height of the base-side portion. 
   
     
     
         4 . The paint apparatus according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the at least one rail travel wheel comprises:
 a front wheel on a side corresponding to the receiving portion while the filter module is at the attached position; and 
 a rear wheel more distant from the receiving portion than the front wheel, and 
   wherein a lower portion of the rear wheel is located lower than a lower portion of the front wheel.   
     
     
         5 . The paint apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein a height difference between a height of the lower portion of the front wheel and a height of the lower portion of the rear wheel is the approximately same as a height difference between a height of the base-side portion and a height of the distal-side portion.   
     
     
         6 . The paint apparatus according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein each of the at least one rail further comprises:
 a first inclined portion connecting a first end of the base-side portion to a first end of the distal-side portion; and 
 a second inclined portion connecting a second end of the distal-side portion to the floor surface. 
   
     
     
         7 . The paint apparatus according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the at least one rail travel wheel comprises:
 a front wheel on a side corresponding to the receiving portion while the filter module is at the attached position; and 
 a rear wheel more distant from the receiving portion than the front wheel, and 
   wherein the rear wheel is in contact with the second inclined portion while the front wheel is in contact with the first inclined portion.   
     
     
         8 . The paint apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein;
 the at least one rail comprises a pair of rails having base ends on a side corresponding to the receiving portion and extending parallel with each other,   the at least one rail travel wheel comprises at least two rail travel wheels, and   the at least one floor travel wheel comprises:
 front wheels inward of the pair of rails and on a side corresponding to the receiving portion while the at least two rail travel wheels travel on the pair of rails; and 
 rear wheels outward of the pair of rails and more distant from the receiving portion than the front wheel while the at least two rail travel wheels travel on the pair of rails. 
   
     
     
         9 . The paint apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a discharge portion configured to receive the air discharged from the filter outlet portion and guide the received air outside the paint apparatus, and   wherein the filter outlet portion and the discharge portion are aligned with each other while the filter module is at the attached position.   
     
     
         10 . The paint apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the filter outlet portion comprises a flange,   the discharge portion comprises a flange accommodation portion configured to accommodate the flange, and   the flange and the flange accommodation portion are aligned with each other while the filter module is at the attached position.   
     
     
         11 . The paint apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a sealing member configured to seal a connection between the filter outlet portion and the discharge portion that are aligned with each other while the filter module is at the attached position.   
     
     
         12 . The paint apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of the at least one rail comprises:
 a main rail extending from the receiving portion on a base side; and 
 an extension rail attachable to and detachable from the main rail and having a height substantially equivalent to a height of the main rail. 
   
     
     
         13 . A filter module attachable to and detachable from a receiving portion of a paint apparatus,
 the paint apparatus comprising:
 a paint booth having an upper chamber in which a painting operation is performable and a lower chamber placed below the upper chamber, 
 the receiving portion configured to receive air discharged from the paint booth, and 
 at least one rail configured to guide the filter module to an attached position at which the filter module is attached to the receiving portion, 
   the filter module comprising:   a filter portion configured to trap paint mist from air that passed through the receiving portion;   a filter inlet portion configured to receive an inflow of air from the receiving portion;   a filter outlet portion configured to discharge air from which the paint mist was trapped by the filter portion;   at least one floor travel wheel configured to travel on a floor surface lower than a surface on which the paint booth is disposed; and   at least one rail travel wheel configured to travel on the at least one rail.   
     
     
         14 . The filter module according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein, while the filter module is at the attached position, the at least one rail travel wheel is in contact with the at least one rail, and the at least one floor travel wheel is separated from the floor surface, and   wherein, while the filter module travels on the floor surface, the at least one floor travel wheel is in contact with the floor surface, and the at least one rail travel wheel is separated from the floor surface.   
     
     
         15 . The filter module according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein each of the at least one rail comprises:
 a base-side portion in a vicinity of the receiving portion; and 
 a distal-side portion on a side of the base-side portion opposite to the receiving portion, wherein a height of the distal-side portion is lower than a height of the base-side portion. 
   
     
     
         16 . The filter module according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the at least one rail travel wheel comprises:
 a front wheel on a side corresponding to the receiving portion while the filter module is at the attached position; and 
 a rear wheel more distant from the receiving portion than the front wheel, and 
   wherein a lower portion of the rear wheel is located lower than a lower portion of the front wheel.   
     
     
         17 . The filter module according to  claim 16 ,
 wherein a height difference between a height of the lower portion of the front wheel and a height of the lower portion of the rear wheel is the approximately same as a height difference between a height of the base-side portion and a height of the distal-side portion.   
     
     
         18 . The filter module according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein each of the at least one rail comprises:
 a first inclined portion connecting a first end of the base-side portion to a first end of the distal-side portion; and 
 a second inclined portion connecting a second end of the distal-side portion to the floor surface. 
   
     
     
         19 . The filter module according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the at least one rail travel wheel comprises:
 a front wheel on a side corresponding to the receiving portion while the filter module is at the attached position; and 
 a rear wheel more distant from the receiving portion than the front wheel, and 
   wherein the rear wheel is in contact with the second inclined portion while the front wheel is in contact with the first inclined portion.   
     
     
         20 . The filter module according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the at least one rail comprises a pair of rails having base ends on a side corresponding to the receiving portion and extending parallel with each other,   the at least one rail travel wheel comprises at least two rail travel wheels, and   the at least one floor travel wheel comprises:
 front wheels inward of the pair of rails and on a side corresponding to the receiving portion while the at least two rail travel wheels travel on the pair of rails; and 
 rear wheels outward of the pair of rails and more distant from the receiving portion than the front wheel while the at least two rail travel wheels travel on the pair of rails.